Stylophorum lasiocarpum
Chinese wood poppy
- Height × spread
- 0.45m × 0.3m
- Position
- Tolerates part shade, likes light shade
- Hardiness
- Average winter to - 10C (RHS H4)
- Flowers
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This beautiful and unusual plant has pretty lemon yellow cup shaped flowers that are produced from May to September. The individual blooms don't last long but new flowers continue to be produced. The foliage is attractive with overall conical leaves that have strongly jagged edges that are carried a light green. The leaves are held on stems where the ultimate leaflet is noticeably larger than its brethren. If they are damaged a reddish coloured sap appears. This may not be long lived, is often biennial but may live a year or two longer. It should self-seed if happy, and enjoys a shady position in rich moist soil.
- Flower colour
- Yellow
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Column
- Height
- 0.45m
- Spread
- 0.3m
- Season of interest
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Flowers in
- Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Sun or shade
- Tolerates part shade, likes light shade
- Soil type
- Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Damp and wet soil
- Hardiness
- Average winter to - 10C (RHS H4)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring - late · Outdoors
Feed with slow release fertiliser
Apply a general purpose slow release fertiliser, spreading it around the root area of the plant as it is coming into growth. (Or apply a liquid feed at regular intervals throughout the growing season.)
This is a simple way to provide a nutrient boost as a single annual procedure.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water to keep the soil moist
For best results, this plant needs soil that is always moist. Water deeply and regularly as soon as soil appears dry. Even for established plants in the ground, a dry week can cause problems with some soils. Check plants in pots more often, especially in hot weather. Or install an automatic irrigation system which will do the hard work for you, even when you are away on holiday.
Without regular watering some plants never fully regain their beauty.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.